Top 10 Goals by Goalkeepers of All Time | Bleacher Report Top 10 Goals by Goalkeepers of All Time Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse the slideshow Chris Brunskill/Getty Images 11 Comments Last weekend, Asmir Begovic added himself to the list of goalkeepers who have scored a goal in a competitive match when his wind-aided clearance from his own area bounced over Artur Boruc's head and into the Southampton net just 13 seconds into the match. Goalkeepers scoring goals isn't as rare as you may think. It's happened five times in the Premier League era. In South America, it isn't rare for goalkeepers to take free kicks near goal or penalty kicks. Here's a look at the top 10 goals scored by goalkeepers in world football. Tweet Rogerio Ceni of Sao Paulo is more prolific at scoring goals than many strikers. The Brazilian has tallied over 100 goals in his career, the most of any keeper in history. While none of Ceni's goals have come from open play, the 40-year-old does deserve some credit for his set-piece work.

This free kick into the upper corner from about 25 yards out was good enough to make No. 10 on the list. Tweet Like Ceni, the flamboyant Jose Luis Chilavert was no stranger to taking free kicks for whatever team he was on. Most of his free kicks were a lot closer than the one that earned him the No. 9 spot. After a foul against his team, Velez Sarsfield, in his own half, he noticed the River Plate goalkeeper was off his line. Chilavert rushed up to take the kick, catching his own teammates and even the referee, who had to duck, off-guard. The ball dropped over German Burgos' head and into the net. "I always say that an angel put that one in for me. If I took another 1,000 kicks like that, I'd never score another one like it," Chilavert said in an interview with FIFA.com. Tweet It's not often that the back line raises their hands to appeal for an offside call against the opposing keeper. But that was the situation the Dortmund defense found themselves in 1997.

Lehmann had come forward in search of an equalizing goal and found himself open on the back post for a header. The Schalke keeper was so wide open that Dortmund believed he had to be offside. The ball came quickly toward Lehmann, who did well to direct it on target for the tying goal. Tweet Ali Ahamada claimed that he had an image of himself in his head scoring a goal, but I doubt it looked like this. With Toulouse trailing Rennes 2-1 in 2012, Ahamada came forward on a free kick. The Frenchman appears to misjudge the ball badly on his run, but somehow recovers and heads the ball in while falling backwards. "It was a magical moment. We all dream of one day scoring. For this little dream to come true, it's pretty special—to have enjoyed it with my team-mates and the public. That will remain etched in my memory," said Ahamada after the match. Tweet Most strikers would be jealous about the amount of height and power Mart Poom got on this header in 2003.

Playing for Sunderland in the Football League Championship against his former club Derby County, Poom found himself on the end of a corner kick from Sean Thornton. The Estonian's powerful header gave Sunderland a 1-1 draw and cancelled out Ian Taylor's goal just a couple of minutes before. Tweet When goalkeepers find themselves with the ball at their feet outside of their normal comfort zone, panic can often set in. What makes this goal from William Hesmer so good is the amount of poise he shows in finishing his chance. Trailing 2-1 in the Trillium Cup Derby against Toronto FC in 2010, Hesmer finds the ball come to his feet after a corner kick is headed down in the area. Instead of immediately lashing at the ball, the Columbus keeper shows a great first touch and enough patience to wait out challenges from the Toronto defense before slotting home the equalizer. The amount of composure is even more remarkable considering it was the first time he ever went forward. "I've never gone into the box before, it's my first time ever," Hesmer said after the match. Tweet Normally when goalkeepers score a goal, they rescue a point for their team with a late game-tying goal.

Rarely does it rescue an entire season. Carlisle United needed a win on the final day of the 1998-99 season to avoid relegation out of the Football League. With just seconds to go against Plymouth Argyle and the scoreline 1-1, Glass trotted up from his own area to try to save Carlisle from the drop. While the finish wasn't technically superior, Glass tucked the ball inside the post from six yards out and triggered a massive pitch invasion with his heroics. Glass only played three matches for Carlisle United in his career. He had come to the club on loan from Swindon Town. But he'll never have to buy a drink in Carlisle again. Most of us find the League Cup to be an annoyance or a chance to give younger players some experience instead of a competition worth winning. You couldn't tell that from the reaction of Leeds United in 2003 against Swindon Town. Paul Robinson produced a magical header to level the cup tie at 2-2 and force extra time. A seasoned striker would have difficulty getting the cross on target, considering how far Robinson is in front of the near post.

But the former England international manages to direct the header all the way to the back post and in the corner of the net. Leeds would end up winning the match on penalties, but would be relegated later that season. Top 10 January Transfer Window Signings: Arsenal Transfer News History Posted By: Arsenal Insider 03/02/2012 This January’s Arsenal transfer news was relatively quiet at the Emirates Stadium, with Thierry Henry returning to the club on loan from New York Red Bulls and German teenager Thomas Eisfeld arriving from Borussia Dortmund for a modest fee. However, activity has not always been this sedate at Arsenal, with Arsene Wenger making some surprising and at times, blockbuster signings in January. Here is a round-up of 10 major signings made during the winter period since the transfer window was introduced in the 2002-03 season. Jose Antonio Reyes Signed from Sevilla in 2004 for £10.5 million Reyes arrived at Arsenal for a substantial transfer fee and began his career well – scoring twice against Chelsea to knock them out of the FA Cup and hitting the net in the penultimate two matches of the season to keep the Gunners unbeaten record going.

However, barely 12 months after joining the club, Reyes complained of home sickness, despite his family living with him in London and became only the second player to be sent off in an FA Cup final when two bookings saw him dismissed against Manchester United. He signed a new six-year contract in July 2005 but joined Real Madrid on loan for the 2006-07 season before making a permanent switch to rivals Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2007. Emmanuel Eboue Signed from Beveren in 2005 for £1.5 million He was compared to legendary Brazilian winger Garrincha by manager Wenger and moved from right back to the right wing following the arrival of Bacary Sagna. The 2008-09 season saw sections of the Arsenal fans lose patience with a series of sub-par performances and he never regained popularity. Despite signing a new, long-term contract towards the end of 2010, Eboue joined Galatasaray for £3.5 million in August 2011 after rejecting moves to Roma and Tottenham Hotspur.

Abou Diaby Signed from Auxerre in 2006 for £2 million Arguably, Diaby never fully recovered from a horror tackle by Sunderland defender Dan Smith in May 2006 which ruled him out of the Champions League final that season and has seen him suffer niggling injuries ever since. Diaby was sent off himself for the first time in his Arsenal career during the 2007-8 season for a studs-up tackle on Gretar Steinsson. The midfielder will also be remembered for his red card at Newcastle when the Gunners leads the match 4-0. Reduced to 10-men, Arsenal conceded four goals and the match ended 4-4. Emmanuel Adebayor Signed from AS Monaco in 2006 for an undisclosed fee Striker Adebayor was an instant hit at Arsenal, scoring on his debut inside 21 minutes against Birmingham City. The Togo international really made a name for himself during the 2007-8 season when he scored 24 goals in 36 Premier League appearances. His prowess in front of goal helped Arsenal finish third and saw him named in the PFA Team of the Year.

He was also awarded “Goal of the Season” for his stoppage finish in a 3-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur in September 2007. However, this was when his relationship with Arsenal declined. Adebayor was linked with big-money moves to both AC Milan and Barcelona but remained at the Emirates. His form dipped and he returned just 10 goals in 27 Premier League appearances in the 2008-09 season before joining Manchester City in July for a reported £25 million. Theo Walcott Signed from Southampton in 2006 for £5 million Walcott joined Arsenal amid much media hype due to being just 16-years-old but he has had a mixed time at the Emirates. Described as a “forward”, it remains unclear where his best position is, whether it’s out wide or as a central striker. In September 2008 he became the youngest England international to score a hat-trick when he fired a treble against Croatia. Walcott had his best season at Arsenal during the 2010-11 campaign where he scored nine goals in 28 Premier League appearances but hasn’t built on that this term.

He was described by Lionel Messi as “one of the most dangerous players I have ever played against” which is great praise indeed. Mart Poom Signed from Sunderland in 2006 for an undisclosed fee The former Derby County goalkeeper arrived on loan from Sunderland in August 2005 and made his move permanent during the January window. He had the dubious honour of becoming the first Estonian to receive a Champions League runners-up medal after Arsenal lost to Barcelona, despite not even making the substitutes bench for the final. Being named in the 25-man European squad was enough to qualify for silverware. His first and only Premier League appearance came on the final day of the 2006-07 season – a goalless draw against Portsmouth. Andrei Arshavin Signed from Zenit Saint Petersburg in 2009 for an undisclosed fee Despite being much maligned this season, Arshavin began his career at Arsenal brightly and was named Man of the Match in April 2009 when he scored all four goals in a 4-4 draw at Liverpool. At the end of the 2008-09 season he came second in the Arsenal Player of the Season poll.

In February 2011 he scored in a first ever victory against Barcelona when the Gunners won 2-1 in a Champions League round of 16 match. Despite approaching 100 Premier League appearances for Arsenal, his performances during this campaign have been criticised and Arshavin has been linked with a move back to his native Russia. Sol Campbell Signed in 2010 on a free transfer Campbell rejoined Arsenal during the 2010 window as a free agent and his first league appearance for the club, a substitute in a goalless draw at Aston Villa, saw him join Ryan Giggs and David James as the third player to have featured in all 18 seasons of the Premier League since its inception. Campbell scored against FC Porto in the Champions League round of 16. It was the defender’s two hundredth appearance in all competitions for the Gunners and his first match in Europe’s premier competition since the 2006 final against Barcelona. He left at the end of the season to join Newcastle United on a free transfer.

Thierry Henry Signed from New York Red Bulls in 2012 on loan Like Campbell two years before him, Henry returned to Arsenal for a second time but this time on loan during the MLS off-season. The striker, now 34-years-old, would provide cover for the Africa Cup of Nations-bound duo of Gervinho and Marouane Chamakh. Gunners fans who like a flutter may have used a free bets website to put some money on him scoring the first goal in the FA Cup third round tie against Leeds United. Henry duly obliged, coming off the bench to score the only goal in a 1-0 victory. Thomas Eisfeld Signed from Borussia Dortmund in 2012 for £420,000 The German teenager is yet to make his senior debut in professional football but that did not stop Wenger splashing out over £400,000 on him. He suffered a career-threatening cruciate ligament injury in 2009 but scored six goals in 12 matches for the Dortmund U-19 team before making the move to north London.

Estonia v England: Everything you need to know about Magnus Pehrsson's side - Telegraph Estonia v England: Everything you need to know about Magnus Pehrsson's side Find out the inside track on the team ranked a lowly 81st in the Fifa rankings Winners: Ats Purje and Sergei Pareiko embrace as they celebrate beating Slovenia Photo: AFP Follow Head coach: Estonia have been managed since December last year by Magnus Pehrsson, an emerging 38-year-old Swedish coach whose playing career included a brief spell in 1996 with Bradford City. He also coached Danish team Aalbork BK in the 2008-9 Uefa Cup, where they defeated Deportivo La Coruna before only losing on penalties against Manchester City. Pehrsson’s last club job was with Djungardens IF in Sweden but he resigned in April 2013 with his team bottom of the table after claims that he was subjected to telephone threats from supporters and even a visit from a group of angry fans to a training session. The situation prompted the Swedish prime minister, Fredrik Reinfeldt, to make a public call for police action to be taken against the perpetrators.

Danger men: Estonia’s main threat comes from the attacking midfield positions, with Konstantin Vassiljev scoring twice against Holland in a 2-2 draw last year and Blackpool’s Sergei Zenjov having scored seven international goals in 36 appearances. Tournament experience: The national team was first formed in 1920 after the war of independence but, aside from being under German occupation for a period during the 1940s, Estonia was controlled by the Soviet Union from 1940 until independence in 1991. Their football team participated in the 1924 Olympic Games tournament but have never since taken part in the final stages of a major international tournament. The closest they came was in 2011 when they lost a play-off against the Republic of Ireland to qualify for Euro 2012. Form: Began the qualifying campaign last month with a 1-0 win over Slovenia following a late goal from Ats Purje but were beaten 1-0 by Lithuania in Vilnius on Thursday night.

Have had wins over the past year against Azerbaijan, Liechtenstein, Gibraltor and Tajikistan but have also been beaten by Turkey, Romania, Finland, Iceland and Sweden. Their current Fifa ranking is 81, one place above Saudi Arabia. Their highest Fifa ranking was 47th in March 2012. Greatest players: Perhaps the best known in England was the goalkeeper Mart Poom, who played for Arsenal, Portsmouth, Sunderland, Derby County and Watford. Martin Reim remained in Tallinn for virtually his entire career and amassed what was a European record 157 international caps from 1992 until his retirement in 2009. Reim is now the coach of the Estonian Under-21 team and is the most capped international footballer to have never played in a major international tournament. Estonia’s record goalscorer is the striker Andres Oper, who amassed 38 goals in 134 international matches from 1995 until 2014. Related Articles Six things to know about Liverpool target Ragnar Klavan - ESPN FC ESPN FC Live football odds with bet365.

Bet Now » Congo DR Live football odds with bet365. Bet Now » Torino Live football odds with bet365. Bet Now » Málaga Live football odds with bet365. Bet Now » Braga Live football odds with bet365. Bet Now » Osmanlispor Live football odds with bet365. Bet Now » Wellington Phoenix FC Jul 19, 2016 Six things to know about Liverpool target Ragnar Klavan, Estonia's captain Liverpool have completed the signing of defender Ragnar Klavan from Bundesliga side Augsburg. Here are six things to know about the Estonia captain. 1. He's an experienced professional Jurgen Klopp sees Klavan as the ideal replacement for the veteran Kolo Toure, who left the club this summer following the expiration of his contract. While Klavan may not boast the C.V. the Ivorian has, he can add some much-needed experience to this Liverpool side. The 30-year-old has over 100 caps for the Estonia national team and has played for seven clubs in his professional career. The defender has also featured in Europe, mainly playing in the Europa League with AZ Alkmaar and Augsburg.

Klavan faced Liverpool last season in the Europa League when the sides were paired in the round of 32. The centre-back featured in both legs as Liverpool ran out 1-0 winners on aggregate. 2. He can also play left-back As a left-footed defender, Klavan has been known to deputise on the left flank. This attribute could be one of the reasons why Klopp is keen to bring him to Anfield. As well as providing cover at central defence due to injuries to Mamadou Sakho and Joe Gomez, Liverpool are in need of depth at left-back. Alberto Moreno is currently Liverpool's first-choice left-back but the Spaniard has failed to convince that he has the temperament to hold down a starting spot in two seasons on Merseyside. The Reds are thin on the ground in this position and Klavan could well do a job there if Moreno continues to cost the Reds. 3. He turned down a move to Everton If there's a quick way to win over the supporters at your new club, then snubbing a move to their local rivals may be the best approach. Last June, Klavan's agent confirmed that Everton were interested in him.

"They asked about him and it is normal that you think about such a request," Maikel Stevens said . "You have to know that it is his dream to play in the Premier League once." However, Klavan decided to stay at Augsburg to feature in the Europa League following a fifth-placed finish in the Bundesliga. 4. His ambition comes from Mart Poom Klavan has long-held an aspiration to play in the Premier League at some stage in his career, hoping to follow in the path of compatriot Mart Poom. In an interview with an Estonian newspaper, Klavan revealed how he hoped to follow in the footsteps of the former Derby County goalkeeper. "I watched a lot of Premier League on TV when I was young," he said . "A big portion of my dream can be credited to Mart Poom. He was my hero as a young boy. He played in England and that certainly contributed to my current dream. Unlike nowadays, I couldn't watch every game or every team because there was only one match on TV. "But Poom's career has been a dream for every footballer raised in independent Estonia. "Mart is an idol for me.

He managed to play himself into the Premier League when coming from Estonia and even lift his level considerably while in England. It was a massive achievement in the 90s." Klavan got his inspiration from Mart Poom. 5. He's a complete defender The three-time Estonia Player of the Year has an all-round game that means he can provide adequate cover for Liverpool this season. The 6-foot-1 defender is comfortable with the ball at his feet, but doesn't forget about his defensive duties, too, by regularly putting his body on the line to make important blocks. Liverpool's defence was leaky at times throughout last season, and in games where the Reds are up against the ropes, Klavan could prove useful given his experience playing at lower league clubs throughout his career. 6. Klavan is dependable He might not be a regular at Liverpool, but Klavan will certainly be ready do his job when called upon. In Augsburg's greatest ever Bundesliga season in 2014-15 -- in which they finished fifth and qualified for Europe -- Klavan played every single minute. He has also made at least 30 appearances in each of his other seasons in Germany. His disciplinary record is exemplary too.

He has only been sent off once in his club career and, during his time at Augsburg, Klavan only missed two games due to suspension while last season saw him pick up just three bookings. Glenn is ESPN FC's Liverpool correspondent. You can follow him on Twitter: @GlennPrice94. Estonia emerging from the shadows of Soviets and skiing | FourFourTwo Enter your keywords Estonia emerging from the shadows of Soviets and skiing Former FourFourTwo Editor turned Champions chief Paul Simpson reflects on the Baltic nation determined to make its mark on Europe... by Published 26 March 2015 Estonia has a rare flair for making the wrong kind of football history. Eighteen years ago, in a dispute over the calibre of floodlights at Tallinn’s Kadrioru stadium, the national side refused to play a World Cup qualifier against Scotland. After three seconds – during which the Tartan Army chanted “There’s only one team in Tallinn” – the match was abandoned and later, for reasons known only to FIFA, replayed as a 0-0 draw in Monaco. That episode was embarrassing.

Estonia’s 0-0 draw away to San Marino in November – a result that secured the home side’s first ever point in European Championship qualifying – was shameful. San Marino’s first point after 61 straight defeats prompted Barney Ronay to ask where he could catch the highlights, to which Gary Lineker tweeted: “Relax, after 61 defeats, they’ll make a movie.” In between these twin depths, Kuressaare defender Jaanis Kriska earned the unwanted distinction of scoring the fastest-ever own goal, after five seconds in September 2009, in an 8-0 defeat to Levadia Tallinn. FEATURE One team in Tallinn: when Scotland kicked off against nobody – and still didn't win Cue jokes about failure to score, etc and so on These were not the kind of headlines Estonia wanted to make in 1991 when, fired by the kind of optimism that only newly-restored independence can generate, they entered qualifying for the 1994 World Cup.

For Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, simply competing in the World Cup was morale-raising proof that, after 50 years of occupation by the Soviets, Nazis and Soviets again, they belonged to the global community of nations once more. Estonia factfile Population 1.3m (similar to Glasgow) Area 17,400 sq m League Three nationwide divisions, with 10 teams each In his book Football Against The Enemy, Simon Kuper reflects on Estonia’s 6-0 home defeat to Switzerland, whom they face again this Friday: “The Estonians were a soft lot. The main thing they had in common with the great Soviet sides of the 1980s was the lack of any will to win.” Attacking constantly against Roy Hodgson’s Swiss side, but never tackling, Estonia were ridiculed for their naivety. As Kuper noted: “Hodgson spoke approvingly of Malta who were ‘realistic about their ability’ and played more defensively.

It was sad to think of Estonia curbing their style so as to lose 3-0 instead of 6-0.” The only Estonian footballer to impress Kuper was central midfielder Martin Reim who, in his words, “played like a Baltic Carlos Valderrama”, setting up team-mates who didn’t have a clue how to score. Danger dearth Not knowing how to score has been a recurring theme in Estonia’s Euro 2016 campaign. In four games so far they have done so just once, Ats Purje finishing from close range against 10-man Slovenia. However, they have only conceded twice: Estonia’s Swedish coach Magnus Pehrsson has heeded Hodgson’s advice, made a realistic appraisal of his resources and done a Malta. That hasn’t necessarily made Estonia any easier on the eye. Nor has it helped the country develop a distinct football identity. According to Angelo Palmeri, editor of the only English-language portal devoted to Estonian football : “In theory, Estonians love good attacking football.

In practice, especially against the powerhouses, they sit back and wait to strike on the counter.” When raising their game, as they did while losing 1-0 to England last October, the national side epitomise the diehard spirit of a nation that has defied a terrible history. At their worst, as at San Marino, they can be so listless as to leave many fans feeling they’d rather watch basketball. Ilja Antonov struggles to yoke an Ox last October The 22 years since that hammering by Switzerland have been a tough reality check for Estonian football – as it has for so for many of the countries to emerge from the wreckage of the Soviet Union. That is even true of Russia, who have won just two matches at World Cup finals since 1994 and didn’t even qualify for three finals. In the Soviet era, the failure of many gifted players to display even a glimmer of competitive instinct was, some pundits argued, ideologically driven. In a post-Marxist/Leninist Russia, the explanation for the unerring consistency with which the national side loses when it matters remains elusive. Fashion disasters Estonia cannot match Russia’s spectacular record of underachievement.

It has learned to take comfort in the occasional against-odds triumph – such as its 3-1 victory away to Serbia in October 2010, hailed as the most important result in the history of Estonian football, or club side Nömme Kalju’s victories in the qualifying rounds of UEFA club competitions – and persevere in the hope that things will get better. And they are, slowly. Reim, the Baltic Valderrama, now coaches the country’s under-21s having never played in a foreign league, whereas centre-back Ragnar Klavan, Estonia’s captain and player of the year in 2013 and 2014, plays for Augbsurg. Eighteen-year-old winger/striker Frank Liivak is so determined to make it in Spain that he has joined fourth-tier club Alcobendas Sport to learn the language and culture as he seeks to climb up the league ladder. Another 18-year-old youth international, Fulham's Mattias Käit, is the likely focal point of Estonia’s attack in years to come, according to Angelo Palmeri.

Ragnar Klavan: Part of Estonia's export drive The inspiration for all these players is Mart Poom, a goalkeeper still affectionately remembered at Derby after a five-year spell there, even though he headed an injury-time equaliser against them for Sunderland in September 2003. Poom’s autobiography My Story sold 9,000 copies in its first month on sale in Estonia and is being devoured by many of the country’s footballers who aspire to be – and this may sound a sad aspiration, but remember this is still a relatively young football country – bigger than Poom. The export trade in footballers can be hit and miss – Estonian footballers are hardly fashionable, and one bad injury can be enough to marginalise them at foreign clubs – but Palmeri is convinced it remains the best hope for improving the national team and the game. “The more young Estonian footballers complete their education abroad, the better it will be for Estonian football in the future,” he says. That will sound depressingly pragmatic to many Estonian fans but he is probably right.

From scratch Competitive games up to 26 Mar 2015: Pl 118, W25 D17 L76, F90 A226 (GD -136), Pts 91 Yet there is more to Estonia’s football history than a dismal procession of false dawns and dashed hopes. The country was in chaos when it declared independence in 1991, so the fact it has a semi-professional top flight, the Premium Liiga, a decent non-league competition and a national side that can, on its day, upset the likes of Serbia is a kind of triumph. Like neighbouring Latvia and Lithuania, Estonia had to create a football industry almost from scratch in the early 1990s. It didn’t help that, Palmeri says, “In Soviet times football was seen as the sport of the occupying forces. As an act of silent rebellion, Estonians preferred basketball and cross-country skiing.” Though Estonians have learned to like football, a basketball game typically attracts around 1,000 spectators, compared to 256 for a Premium Liiga match.

(The country’s population is only 1.3m.) Soviet rule had stifled the country’s love for the game. Luckily, some Estonians decided to change that. Striker, referee and children’s author Aivar Pohlak was one of those pioneers, founding FC Flora in 1990 and later becoming president of the Estonian FA. He is hardly your typical football administrator, eschewing blazers for the wardrobe of a 1970s rock guitarist, though maybe such unorthodoxy helps if you aim to build a sport from nothing. Aivar Pohlak: Game of Thrones on a hippy weekend retreat As he told FFT on a Tallinn visit in December 2010, launching a football club in Estonia in the 1990s was a leap of faith. Why should fans go to a stadium when they could watch Europe’s finest at home on TV or the internet? The challenge for clubs like Flora, he said, was to show Estonians their club was worth loving.

Qualifying (or not) Qualifying finishes for Euros & World Cup: 1934 3rd of 3, 0pts 1938 3/4, 2pts 2012 2/6, 16pts (lost in play-offs) 2014 5/6, 7pts Pohlak’s multi-tasking role has caused controversy – and comedy. He also partly owns Kuressaare and, two years ago, refereed one of their cup ties. The assistant referees on that day were his daughter Anna, and his future son-in-law Tomi Rahula. Pohlak’s son Pelle happened to be playing for Kuressaare, who won 1-0. The Estonians have a saying for such events – “ainuit Estonia” – “only in Estonia”. Four teams in Tallinn The best measure of Pohlak’s success is not silverware – though Flora have won nine league titles – but the calibre of the opposition he now faces.

The irony of that “one team in Tallinn” chant is that Estonia’s charming capital is home to four Premium Liiga sides: Levadia, Nömme Kalju and FC Infonet. Tallinn’s 'Clasico' pits Flora against reigning champions Levadia, who changed their name after metal and recycling entrepreneur Viktor Levada acquired them. Nömme Kalju (champions in 2012 and owned by nightclub impresario Kuno Tehva) and FC Infonet (owned by former IT programmer Andrei Leshkin, who manages the internet company of the same name) are the closest rivals to Flora and Levadia. The one idea that could transform Estonian football, the much-debated Baltic League, may never happen because Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania would lose their automatic entry into the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League. So the next big step forward may have to be inspired by an overachieving qualifying campaign – it's probably too late for Euro 2016 – or an Estonian footballer becoming 'bigger than Poom'.

Indeed, as Palmeri points, one of Estonia’s most promising prospects is Infonet keeper Matvei Igonen, an under-21 international who has had trials in Italy. The inevitable picture of Mart Poom Although tabloid hacks, impatient fans and mega-rich owners pretend otherwise, long-term success in football is often built on the ability to manage failure. Only one team can win the league or cup every season and every four years 177 countries miss out on the World Cup finals. For most clubs, teams, players, coaches and countries, the absence of silverware is not a catastrophe, requiring an immediate, inordinate knee-jerk reaction – it’s everyday life. They learn to measure their progress in subtler ways. Estonian football has shown its stickability – through Pohlak and his fellow founding fathers, Klavan holding his own at over-achieving Aubsurg and Livaak playing in Spain’s fourth tier in expectation of a brighter future. If you had to reduce Estonia’s progress as a football nation since 1990 to a soundbite it would be 'spectacular' – and, from a fan’s point of view, slightly unsatisfactory.

Topics Flying the Flag: 13 Players Who Are The Premier League's Only Representative From Their Country | LIVE SCORES, LIVE STREAMING, HIGHLIGHTS Flying the Flag: 13 Players Who Are The Premier League's Only Representative From Their Country Date: Tweet ​Henrikh Mkhitaryan will become the first Armenian to play in the Premier League when he makes his debut for Manchester United next month after his big summer move from Borussia Dortmund. While the likes of France, Germany, the Netherlands and various high profile countries have always been well represented in English football, there are a handful of other nations with just one player flying the flag… 13. Kevin Betsy – Seychelles A Seychelles international towards the end of his long career, Kevin Betsy’s only ​appearance in the Premier League came for Fulham against Manchester United at Old Trafford on the opening day of the 2001/02 campaign. The midfielder, who was actually born in Woking, was largely a Football League journeyman, most notably playing for clubs like Barnsley, Oldham, Wycombe and Bristol City. 12.

Zesh Rehman – Pakistan Although born in Birmingham, former Fulham defender Zesh Rehman has held dual British and Pakistani citizenship his whole life and has represented Pakistan at full international for more than 10 years after making his debut in 2005. Rehman did actually also make the move to Asia later in his club career, playing in Thailand, Hong Kong and Malaysia. Off the field, he is known for his inclusion work with anti-racism organisations such as Kick It Out. 11. Gunnar Nielsen – Faroe Islands Faroese Goalkeeper Gunnar Nielsen arrived in England by way of Denmark when he joined Blackburn Rovers in 2007. He never played in the Premier League for the Lancashire club but was later snapped up by Manchester City in 2009. It was at City where Nielsen made the only Premier League appearance of his career, replacing an injured Shay Given late in the second half of a game against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. 10.

Gael Bigirimana – Burundi ​Born in Burundi but capped by England at Under-20 level, Gael Bigirimana made a senior international debut for the country of his birth in 2015 – a World Cup qualifier against DR Congo. He had also previously expressed interest in representing Rwanda. Still contracted to Newcastle until 2017, the young midfielder has only played sparingly in the Premier League and has spent time out on loan. He may, however, get more chances now that the Magpies have been relegated to the Championship. West Brom striker Saido Berahino was also born in Burundi but has long since pledged his international allegiance to England instead. 9. Lorik Cana – Albania Six years after his departure from Sunderland, Lorik Cana remains the only Albanian to have played in the Premier League, although that could soon change with the country now just beginning to emerge as a footballing nation. The defensive midfielder/centre-back spent just a single season on Wearside after joining from Marseille. He was sold to Galatasaray at the end of the 2009/10 campaign and has since played for Lazio and Nantes.

He was also the first player sent off at Euro 2016. 8. Daniel Cousin – Gabon With Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang not set to move to England any time soon, if ever, Daniel Cousin’s status as the Premier League’s only Gabonese player looks safe for a while yet. The striker made his name in British football with Rangers in Scotland before joining newly promoted Hull City in 2008. He later played in Greece and briefly back home in Gabon. 7. Manucho – Angola ​Manucho’s time in England began after he was scouted by Manchester United while still playing in Angola, making the switch to Old Trafford in January 2008. Work permits issues saw the forward immediately loaned to Panathinaikos, but he returned the following season and played his only Premier League game in a United shirt against Stoke. Manucho then scored twice in 13 appearances on loan at Hull before moving on to Spain. 6. Modou Barrow – Gambia Modou Barrow became the first Gambian to score in the Premier League when he found the net for Swansea against Bournemouth in March of this year.

Prior to that he had also been the first player from his homeland to play in the English top flight, and still currently remains on his own in doing so.​ After leaving Gambia the age of 11, Barrow actually spent his teenage years in Sweden and it was there where his football career began with lower league club Mjölby AI. 5. Mart Poom – Estonia Having initially signed for Portsmouth in 1994, Estonian goalkeeper Mart Poom made his Premier League debut in a famous 3-2 win for Derby County at Old Trafford in 1997. He spent five full seasons as the Rams’ number one before joining a yo-yo-ing Sunderland. Poom later joined Arsenal as a back-up to Jens Lehmann and Manuel Almunia before finishing his career in the Championship with Watford. 4. Bertrand Traore – Burkina Faso Big things are expected of 20-year-old forward Bertrand Traore at Chelsea in the coming years. Hailing from Bobo-Dioulasso in Burkina Faso, he began his youth career with Auxerre in France before making the move to Stamford Bridge in 2013.

Traore was already a full international by the time he arrived in London, having first played for his country’s senior side at the age of just 15. He scored two goals in 10 Premier League appearances last season. 3. Ali Al-Habsi – Oman Omani international ​Ali Al-Habsi’s first taste of Premier League football came at Bolton Wanderers where he spent four years as a seldom seen back-up to Jussi Jaaskelainen. But it was at nearby Wigan Athletic that he became a real cult hero in England. A top shot stopper, Al-Habsi earned a reputation as a penalty saver during his time with the Latics. He played over 100 Premier League games for the club but lost his place towards the end of the 2012/13 campaign and subsequently also missed that season’s FA Cup triumph. 2. Henrikh Mkhitaryan – Armenia ​Henrikh Mkhitaryan has been named Armenian Footballer of the Year on six occasions during his career, and every year since 2011.

Big things are expected of the attacking midfielder at Manchester United after a £26m move, and it is hoped he will score goals from deep that the club has lacked since Paul Scholes moved into a more orthodox central midfield role around 10 years ago. 1. Victor Wanyama – Kenya ​For such a relatively populous country with strong traditions in other sports, it’s somewhat surprising that Kenya’s status in African football is minimal. As such, Victor Wanyama remains the only Kenyan to have played in the Premier League. His brother, McDonald Mariga, became the first Kenyan to play in the Champions League, and win it, with Inter in 2010. Wanyama was the second to play in the competition during his time at Celtic and was the first to score a goal. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service – if this is your content and you’re reading it on someone else’s site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php#publishers.

Question: Which former Derby County, Sunderland and Arsenalfootballer is the only Estonian ever to have played in the Premier League?
Answer: MART POOM